From Proto-Southwestern Tai *ʰlajᴬ¹ (“to flow”). Cognate with Thai ไหล (lǎi), Lao ໄຫຼ (lai), Lü ᦺᦜ (l̇ay), Ahom 𑜎𑜩 (lay) or 𑜎𑜩𑜤 (layu).
လႆ • (lǎi) (abstract noun လွင်ႈလႆ)